Flying with many unknowns
In the US, carefully conceal information about the appointment of a US orbital plane
Build a powerful fleet drones, the Pentagon has embarked on a new phase of remote-controlled penetration into near-Earth space. On April 22, the US Air Force launched an Atlas V launch vehicle carrying an unmanned X-37B spacecraft from Cape Canaveral. The launch and launch into orbit were successful. However, about when this device will return to the ground, representatives of the US Air Force kept silent.
In general, it should be noted that the experimental launch of a new, returning automatic spacecraft is surrounded by a dense veil of secrecy. Details of his mission are not disclosed. Official statements indicate only that the flight was undertaken for research purposes. There is no reason to doubt that this is the case, since the X-37B is not yet a full-fledged aircraft, but a technology demonstrator. He makes a completely autonomous flight, and landing must also be performed without human intervention. Therefore, checking the operation of the control system and navigation equipment should really be one of the main objectives of this orbital flight.
Among other studies that will be carried out in the course of the experiment and the subsequent examination of X-37B returned to the ground, is the testing of its heat shield. The latter seems to be very important, since the problems with thermal insulation have pursued the American shuttles throughout their use.
X-37B has a length of 8,9 m, wingspan - 4,6 m, payload - 4990 kg. It is intended for access to low near-earth orbits with a height of 200-900 km. The device is put into space under the fairing of the Atlas V launch vehicle. This PH, by the way, is equipped with Russian-made engines - the RD-180.
Originally, from 1999, the X-37 orbital plane project was developed by Boeing for NASA. In 2001, the first atmospheric tests of the model of the device took place. And in 2004-m NASA refused it and he entered the disposal of the Agency for Defense Advanced Research Projects of the US Department of Defense (DARPA). In 2006, the first flight tests of the vehicle were conducted by dropping from a transport plane. In the 2007 year, the Air Force assigned the SC a new index - X-37В.
Today, more is known about its characteristics than about the payload it can carry, or, more precisely, it will carry a serial sample created on its basis.
It can be assumed that the range of tasks solved by X-37В will include the performance of reconnaissance operations requiring operational and secretive implementation, placing into orbit and returning to earth the devices that also need to be delivered into space and returned back without much publicity. According to some observers, X-37В or a similar larger device, created with the use of technologies developed during the implementation of this program, can become a platform for deploying attack complexes - with conventional or nuclear combat units. The advantages of such a platform are that the ammunition launched from near-earth orbit will have a short flight time, so it will be invulnerable to missile defense systems. In addition, the possibility of a long autonomous flight allows you to strike a sudden blow, after waiting for the most convenient moment for this.
Bye shock placement weapons in space - this is a precedent that causes a sharply negative reaction from most states of the world. However, given the US desire for global supremacy, the withdrawal of weapons into near-Earth space remains, apparently, only a matter of time. It should also be noted that the widespread use and increasing importance in the life support and defense capability of the space systems states makes them very important goals, the destruction of which becomes a decisive factor for success in the event of a large-scale armed conflict. So careful concealment by the US Air Force of information about a possible payload of X-37В makes it possible to quite unambiguously interpret the purpose of this or apparatus created on its basis.
According to the leading researcher of the Center for International Security of the IMEMO RAN, Major General (Retired) Vladimir Belous, the launch of X-37В is a continuation of the American policy of space exploration. “They do not reveal the military side of the use of an orbital plane, but this launch will have a serious impact on space exploration for military purposes,” said Belous. - Since the announcement of the Strategic Defense Initiative, the United States has paid serious attention to the use of outer space to deploy anti-missile systems. Further development proceeded along the lines of creating dual technologies with the goal that military space exploration would bring a certain economic effect. The launch also has a dual purpose, the practical results obtained will be used for both civil and military purposes. Americans are unlikely to stop and go on the path of further military development of outer space. "
At present, Russia does not have a ship similar to the X-37B. And, apparently, in the foreseeable future will not. Although after the launch of the American orbital plane, the chief designer of NPO Molniya, Vladimir Skorodelov, told the ITAR-TASS news agency that the project of the beginning of 80's to create a multi-purpose aerospace system (MAKS) with a reusable aircraft was about the same as the X-37В, The dimensionality is still being worked out. The project implementation was prevented by the 90 crisis, and now the revival of this system, built on technologies of thirty years ago, hardly makes sense. Yes, and financial and organizational difficulties will not allow to quickly implement such a complex complex.
To understand how much time in modern Russian conditions it takes to implement projects of this kind, we can recall the epic with the creation of a multi-purpose manned reusable spacecraft, designed to replace the "Unions". Work in this direction began in the second half of the 90-ies and has not yet been completed. According to optimistic forecasts, the Perspective Manned Transport System will be ready no earlier than 2015-2018.
Build a powerful fleet drones, the Pentagon has embarked on a new phase of remote-controlled penetration into near-Earth space. On April 22, the US Air Force launched an Atlas V launch vehicle carrying an unmanned X-37B spacecraft from Cape Canaveral. The launch and launch into orbit were successful. However, about when this device will return to the ground, representatives of the US Air Force kept silent.
In general, it should be noted that the experimental launch of a new, returning automatic spacecraft is surrounded by a dense veil of secrecy. Details of his mission are not disclosed. Official statements indicate only that the flight was undertaken for research purposes. There is no reason to doubt that this is the case, since the X-37B is not yet a full-fledged aircraft, but a technology demonstrator. He makes a completely autonomous flight, and landing must also be performed without human intervention. Therefore, checking the operation of the control system and navigation equipment should really be one of the main objectives of this orbital flight.
Among other studies that will be carried out in the course of the experiment and the subsequent examination of X-37B returned to the ground, is the testing of its heat shield. The latter seems to be very important, since the problems with thermal insulation have pursued the American shuttles throughout their use.
X-37B has a length of 8,9 m, wingspan - 4,6 m, payload - 4990 kg. It is intended for access to low near-earth orbits with a height of 200-900 km. The device is put into space under the fairing of the Atlas V launch vehicle. This PH, by the way, is equipped with Russian-made engines - the RD-180.
Originally, from 1999, the X-37 orbital plane project was developed by Boeing for NASA. In 2001, the first atmospheric tests of the model of the device took place. And in 2004-m NASA refused it and he entered the disposal of the Agency for Defense Advanced Research Projects of the US Department of Defense (DARPA). In 2006, the first flight tests of the vehicle were conducted by dropping from a transport plane. In the 2007 year, the Air Force assigned the SC a new index - X-37В.
Today, more is known about its characteristics than about the payload it can carry, or, more precisely, it will carry a serial sample created on its basis.
It can be assumed that the range of tasks solved by X-37В will include the performance of reconnaissance operations requiring operational and secretive implementation, placing into orbit and returning to earth the devices that also need to be delivered into space and returned back without much publicity. According to some observers, X-37В or a similar larger device, created with the use of technologies developed during the implementation of this program, can become a platform for deploying attack complexes - with conventional or nuclear combat units. The advantages of such a platform are that the ammunition launched from near-earth orbit will have a short flight time, so it will be invulnerable to missile defense systems. In addition, the possibility of a long autonomous flight allows you to strike a sudden blow, after waiting for the most convenient moment for this.
Bye shock placement weapons in space - this is a precedent that causes a sharply negative reaction from most states of the world. However, given the US desire for global supremacy, the withdrawal of weapons into near-Earth space remains, apparently, only a matter of time. It should also be noted that the widespread use and increasing importance in the life support and defense capability of the space systems states makes them very important goals, the destruction of which becomes a decisive factor for success in the event of a large-scale armed conflict. So careful concealment by the US Air Force of information about a possible payload of X-37В makes it possible to quite unambiguously interpret the purpose of this or apparatus created on its basis.
According to the leading researcher of the Center for International Security of the IMEMO RAN, Major General (Retired) Vladimir Belous, the launch of X-37В is a continuation of the American policy of space exploration. “They do not reveal the military side of the use of an orbital plane, but this launch will have a serious impact on space exploration for military purposes,” said Belous. - Since the announcement of the Strategic Defense Initiative, the United States has paid serious attention to the use of outer space to deploy anti-missile systems. Further development proceeded along the lines of creating dual technologies with the goal that military space exploration would bring a certain economic effect. The launch also has a dual purpose, the practical results obtained will be used for both civil and military purposes. Americans are unlikely to stop and go on the path of further military development of outer space. "
At present, Russia does not have a ship similar to the X-37B. And, apparently, in the foreseeable future will not. Although after the launch of the American orbital plane, the chief designer of NPO Molniya, Vladimir Skorodelov, told the ITAR-TASS news agency that the project of the beginning of 80's to create a multi-purpose aerospace system (MAKS) with a reusable aircraft was about the same as the X-37В, The dimensionality is still being worked out. The project implementation was prevented by the 90 crisis, and now the revival of this system, built on technologies of thirty years ago, hardly makes sense. Yes, and financial and organizational difficulties will not allow to quickly implement such a complex complex.
To understand how much time in modern Russian conditions it takes to implement projects of this kind, we can recall the epic with the creation of a multi-purpose manned reusable spacecraft, designed to replace the "Unions". Work in this direction began in the second half of the 90-ies and has not yet been completed. According to optimistic forecasts, the Perspective Manned Transport System will be ready no earlier than 2015-2018.
- Ivan Karev
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